The legislation would start a pilot program to explore how students could get a bachelor's degree in certain subjects within 18 months of graduating from high school.

Logue envisions the fast-track education coming at a cost of no more than $10,000.

That's a worthy goal.

There are huge opportunities in the U.S. for students with degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the selected subjects for AB 51.

Employers are clamoring for that expertise, rather than being forced to hire foreign-educated individuals or outsourcing processes.

We're not sure the $10,000 is an attainable cost figure, but it's worth more study. Countless tuition hikes have pushed a college degree out of reach for more Californians. Rather than throwing up barriers to educate our students, we should be crushing them.

There will always be demand for a four-year degree, even though there's hardly such an animal any more. Usually it's a five- or six-year degree.

Parents have been force-fed this line that every child has to go to a four-year college, but that's a hollow debate these days. We'd rather see motivated students, not somebody there for a party. There seems to be plenty of that kind, taking up a seat.

AB 51 spreads out the education between college classes in high school, then community college for a time, then finishing at a California State University school.

Obviously, not every student would be right for this kind of program, but it seems to us that motivated, mature students would excel.

Decision makers in the California college system need to give ideas beyond the status quo a serious look.

Unfortunately, there's no guarantee of a job that comes along with a college degree, which means educators need to work harder to make sure their "customers" get what they've paid for — an education that leads to a job.